Judith Oakes, 49, of San Bernardino was arrested at Rialto Unified’s nutrition services offices in August, and booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga on suspicion of burglary, embezzlement and grand theft. Courtesy photo

A San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy takes Judith Oakes into custody after her arraignment at the Fontana Superior Court. Oakes pleaded not guilty and bail was set at $1.8 million.
LaFonzo Carter/ Staff Photographer

Judith Oakes sits in Fontana Superior Court on Wednesday during her arraignment.

Fontana >> Rialto Unified School District accountant Judith Oakes, alleged to have embezzled millions from the district’s Nutrition Services Department, pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday before being led out of a courtroom in handcuffs.

Oakes, 49, had her previous $50,000 bail bumped to $1.8 million — the amount of money she’s alleged to have stolen during the past eight years — at her arraignment Wednesday morning in Fontana Superior Court.

San Bernardino attorney Pat Milligan, who is representing Oakes, told Judge Steven A. Mapes that Oakes isn’t a flight risk or danger to the public. Accused murderers have bail set lower, he said.

“Everybody knows that Mrs. Oakes wouldn’t harm a fly,” Milligan said. “She doesn’t have violence in her at all and she has great ties with the community.”

But Supervising Deputy District Attorney Rick Young said the bail amount is appropriate because it matches what she’s charged with taking.

“If she wanted to have bail at $250,000 that’s what she should have stolen,” Young said.

He added that even though she’s accused of stealing $1.8 million, the actual amount is closer to $3.1 million during the last 14 years.

“Because of the seriousness of the offense, in my mind it still poses a public safety issue,” he said.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office filed felony charges against Oakes late Tuesday afternoon. She is charged with eight counts of embezzlement by a public or private officer and eight counts of a public officer crime. If convicted of all charges, she faces up to 11 years in state prison. Oakes was arrested Aug. 7 after twice being caught on camera putting money into her bra, according to a Rialto Police Department search warrant. At the time of her Aug. 7 arrest, she had two packets of $2,000 in $20 bills on her person, and more was found at her San Bernardino home later. She resigned from the district the next day.

Despite Milligan’s arguments that Oakes’ strong ties to the community show she would likely appear for her next court hearing, Young said her ties have been severed with her resignation.

And Mapes said he’s not convinced there is enough proof to show the money Oakes plans to use to post bail is not from ill-gotten gains.

Milligan said Oakes is trying to round up funds through her late husband’s life insurance policy, which is worth several hundred thousand dollars. Members of her family are also trying to help.

Oakes’ attorney said the money would be better spent paying back the school district, rather than bail.

“To impoverish the family is something I don’t want to see happen,” he said.

Friends and family surrounded Oakes while waiting in the hall for her arraignment. They declined comment on the charges.

Milligan said he hadn’t had a chance to examine the several thousand pages of discovery documents in the case, so he also didn’t address the charges.

School district officials offered cooperation with law enforcement on Wednesday.

“The district is pleased that law enforcement is moving forward with the steps necessary to bring the person responsible for this crime to justice,” district spokeswoman Syeda Jafri said. “We will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.”

Beau Yarbrough wrote his first newspaper article taking on an authority figure (his middle school principal) when he was in 7th grade. He’s been a professional journalist since 1992, working in Virginia, Egypt and California. In that time, he’s covered community news, features, politics, local government, education, the comic book industry and more. He’s covered the war in Bosnia, interviewed presidential candidates, written theatrical reviews, attended a seance, ridden in a blimp and interviewed both Batman and Wonder Woman (Adam West and Lynda Carter). He also cooks a mean pot of chili.

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